Exploitation of Trametes versicolor for bioremediation of endocrine disrupting chemicals in bioreactors

Abstract

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental contaminants causing increasing concerns due to their toxicity, persistence and ubiquity. In the present study, degradative capabilities of Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium to act on five EDCs, which represent different classes of chemicals (phenols, parabens and phthalate) and were first applied as single compounds, were assessed. T. versicolor was selected due to its efficiency against target EDCs and its potentialities were exploited against a mixture of EDCs in a cost-effective bioremediation process. A fed-batch approach as well as a starvation strategy were applied in order to reduce the need for input of 'fresh' biomass, and avoid the requirement for external nutrients. The fungus was successfully operated in two different bioreactors over one week. Semi-batch cultures were carried out by daily adding a mixture of EDCs to the bioreactors in a total of five consecutive degradation cycles. T. versicolor was able to efficiently remove all compounds during each cycle converting up to 21 mg L -1 day -1 of the tested EDCs. The maintained ability of T. versicolor to remove EDCs without any additional nutrients represents the main outcome of this study, which enables to forecast its application in a water treatment process.

Biotransformation of Phthalate Plasticizers and Bisphenol A by Marine-Derived, Freshwater, and Terrestrial Fungi

“…Potential adverse or positive environmental and human health impacts possibly resulting from such processes still need to be assessed (Krueger et al, 2015a;Hahladakis et al, 2018;Jiang, 2018). Finally, fungi capable of attacking plastic additives and other micropollutants could be exploited in biotechnologies aimed at the reduction of environmental contamination from sources such as wastewater treatment plants (Pezzella et al, 2017;Hofmann et al, 2018).…”

“…Comparatively, fungal PE degradation has received less attention. This statement is particularly applicable to filamentous fungi dwelling within aquatic environments and also yeasts, with previous fungal based studies predominantly focusing on terrestrial ligninolytic and non-ligninolytic species (Liang et al, 2008;Luo et al, 2012;Gao and Wen, 2016;Pezzella et al, 2017). A few studies describe fungal growth on di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and dimethyl phthalate esters (DMPEs) when present as the sole carbon and energy source (Luo et al, 2011;Pradeep and Benjamin, 2012).…”

“…hydrolysis or oxidative O-dealkylation) (Lee et al, 2007). Furthermore, extracellular fungal oxidoreductases such as laccase and lignin-modifying peroxidases are not known to act on PEs directly, and extracellular unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs) of fungi have been reported to oxidize only a few PEs albeit slowly (Hwang et al, 2012;Macellaro et al, 2014;Karich et al, 2017;Pezzella et al, 2017). Thus, hydrolytic enzymes (e.g.…”

Suitability of Immobilized Systems for Microbiological Degradation of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds

“…There are also substances in the environment that disturb the action of endogenous compounds due to the similarity of their structure to hormones (chemicals mimic hormones), such as bisphenol A, 4-nonylphenol, parabens and phthalate, as well as antibacterial triclosan [ 29 , 30 ]. Moreover, some mycotoxins, such as zearalenone produced by several Fusarium spp., have strong estrogenic activity [ 31 ].…”

Lignin Degrading System of Phanerochaete chrysosporium and its Exploitation for Degradation of Synthetic Dyes Wastewater

“…The complete removal of harmful dyes is a major concern [4]. Different physical methods are in use, but they are not efficient as they convert pollution from one phase to another [5]. Although chemical processes are found to be more efficient than physical ones, they are either costlier or they may generate byproducts that are more toxic than their precursors.…”